In the ups and downs of football, history often selectively loses its memory. Romelu Lukaku's past is as if it had been deliberately forgotten. There was a lively talk of Chelsea paying the 28-year-old the biggest transfer fee in the club's history of £97.5 million, with Lukaku's career cumulative transfer fees approaching £300 million. However, when Lukaku said, "As you know, my relationship with this club means a lot to me, I supported Chelsea as a child. "Most people just think he's played for this club before and don't understand how Stamford Bridge in West London is so memorable for him.
The impression he left on the world before he became famous was so vague that only a few people cursorily noticed: twelve years earlier he had vowed to be king of Stamford Bridge.
Although due to the timing of his debut, his talent was not positively radiated by the light of the times, so the image was hazy. But like a relief, you just need to change the angle to discover its true beauty.
Federico Pastorello is an old-school Italian agent whose father was the president of Verona Football Club. When fans criticized Andre Lukaku for leaving Inter in pursuit of a higher salary, he echoed the claims on Lukaku's behalf.
Pastorello writes: "This statement – that Lukaku's transfer was 'designed' and 'forced' to cater to economic interests – has left everyone completely misguided. ”
"Lukaku has never publicly expressed any uneasiness or dissatisfaction with his experience at Inter, his contract situation or the club's well-known events."
"Chelsea's interest really touched Romelu's soul from the very beginning, because that club meant something unique and special to him. In recent days, I've seen a 2009 video of the 16-year-old visiting Stamford Bridge with his school and vowing to one day play on the pitch. ”
"I suggest you take a closer look: impressively, a 16-year-old boy has clearly painted a picture of his future."
Stamford Bridge, a stadium that is more than 100 years old, its blue East Stand, West Stand, Matthew Harding Stand and SheikhTed Stand, when the stadium lights up, in the emerald green pitch turf and blue clouds, it looks incomparably sacred and solemn. A 16-year-old teenager who was infected and made a vow. Twelve years later, when the mighty era lava blessed on Lukaku had cooled, he had grown into a giant. Twelve years of growth and the arduous way home are like a handful of untidy yellow sand, leaking through the cracks of fingers. Today we try to pick them up one by one and rejoin the long road that is as old and beautiful as a carving.
"He wanted to put on the Chelsea shirt, he succeeded at the age of 18 and unfortunately he left before he could leave his mark and win important victories," Pastorello said.
On Saturday 27 April 2011, 18-year-old Lukaku made his debut in the final seven minutes of Chelsea's 3-1 home win over Norwich City in place of Fernando Torres. It was one of his 8 games at Stamford Bridge. Due to Romelu Lukaku's "poor" performance, Chelsea loaned him to West Brom after only eight games. Like a lone goose swirling back and forth, I don't know where to make my home. Lukaku embarked on a wandering journey with lingering loneliness and deep regret. There was never such a lingering wandering, because on the next road he proved that he was walking between dream and reality with the consciousness of the twilight drum and the morning bell.
This small town in the West Midlands metropolitan area, 8 kilometres northwest of Birmingham, Britain's second largest city, has a population of less than 200,000. Lukaku wore a uniform with the emblem of a thrush standing on the branches of a hawthorn tree, including at the hawthorn stadium with a capacity of 27,877 people, where he played 35 games. But he started just 20 games and scored 17 goals – the Belgian striker on loan from Chelsea, who is only 19 years old, has proven his worth in the Premier League. Chelsea, however, are not so convinced.
Lukaku helped West Brom finish 8th in 2012-13. They haven't made the top 10 since. After several iterations of promotion and relegation, West Brom has now spent at least two more years in the Champions League.
This particular season at West Brom was a great personal help to Lukaku, the fifth-highest-scoring season of his twelve career seasons.
At this time, although Lukaku looks like a wind and moon, the core has been darkly changed. At the age of 19, he gained a lot of experience in the Premier League, and after a cold examination and observation of his life and destiny, Lukaku slowly matured more than just his skills. This will help him play for Everton in the future, where he has done amazing things.
Chelsea signed the striker back after realising how good he was. But when he returned, the chances were as few, if not less. Exactly: but seeing the cold clouds and miserable fog and sorrow, suffering from endless rain and wind, the Belgian only played two Premier League games.
Despite his limited playing time, Everton were interested in him and in the summer of 2014 they signed him for just £28 million, giving him the number 10 shirt. Then the future one of the world's best strikers left the club he supported as a child after 10 games, 466 minutes, 19 shots on goal and zero goals.
The north wind swept the grass yellow, and the falling ying colorful geese flew south. Immediately after the brief return, Lukaku's inner desolation was like the lead cloud that crushed the city over stamford Bridge, and the clouds were about to break. Everton's £28 million signing and his no. 10 new jersey may be a ray of light cast through the thick dark clouds, quietly shining on the deserted wilderness, soothing his anxiety and even fear.
Lukaku spent four seasons in the Toffee, in this port city in the north-west of England, although Everton did not win as many titles as their city rivals Liverpool, but blue as the main color of the club, they also competed with red to dominate English football. Lukaku scored 68 goals in 141 Premier League games here. In the 2016-2017 season, he scored 25 goals, just behind Harry Kane's 29 goals for the Golden Boot.
Everton were the first major challenge and opportunity for Lukaku to grow, and he was given a more important role, which meant fans and the club had high hopes for him. He fulfilled those expectations because of his outstanding results at Goodison Park. From Chelsea's blue, to West Brom's blue and white, to Everton's blue, Lukaku may be a man of fate, he is like the world's young and crazy geniuses, ignorant of the world but brilliant. His frenzy on the pitch and the strange news generated around him seem to be just sensationalism in the eyes of many people, but for Lukaku himself, it is probably a kind of expectation that he is lamenting his life and running and returning to the "true blue".
After four fantastic seasons with the Blue Toffee, the goal of the transfer rumors that accompanied him for four years gradually became clear, not blue, but red. United launched an offer for him and ultimately decided to spend £75m on the Belgian striker.
Perhaps the blue mark on his body was too strong, and he had an innate sense of bondage on the Red Devil's territory. He's been here for two seasons, playing 66 games and scoring 28 goals, and if it weren't for the sober-eyed manager who left the class, maybe he could have grown into a real giant at Manchester United.
Loyal fans at Old Trafford can be demanding, and for them, the blue Lukaku is not good enough or not working hard enough, at least the taste does not match their taste.
Lukaku had a pretty good start, scoring 16 goals and assisting seven times in his first season here – quite good overall. In addition, Manchester United finished second that season, so Lukaku was warmly welcomed by the fans and was expected more.
Fate dictates that Blue Lukaku can only be a hurried passer-by of the Red Devils platform, and when the expected parting comes so quickly and so decisively, the place left behind is a sigh. Everything changed in his second season.
Manchester United finished in 6th place at the end of the season, with many fans blaming Lukaku. The Belgian striker has been very disappointing all season, scoring just 12 goals and no assists.
Amid the poor reversals and raucous criticism, Old Trafford doesn't have a place for Lukaku to concentrate on playing – Manchester United's new manager Solskjaer prefers to use "three small combinations" such as Jesse Lingard, Rashford and Martial, who pushed to sell Him after questioning Lukaku's adaptability at Old Trafford.
The label of the most expensive striker made Lukaku's transfer a soap opera that summer, from the initial negotiations between Inter milan and Manchester United, to the subsequent intervention of Juventus, and then marotta's return to the negotiating table, after a series of twists and turns, Lukaku arrived in Italy.
Since joining Inter milan in August 2019, Lukaku has ranked fourth in the top five european leagues in terms of shot turnover, with a chance rate of 24.2%. His goals have made Serie A shine, while he has also continued to enrich his arsenal – especially as a frontcourt support. In the 2020-21 season, he finished second in the Italian league for points and assists, forming a terrifying strikeline combination with Lautaro Martinez that terrified Serie A teams. He led Inter to their first Serie A title in 11 years. His reputation expanded further and quickly became a favorite of San Siro fans.
Asked what had changed two years after leaving the Premier League, Lukaku said he had become a more mature player than he had left Manchester United for Italy two years earlier. "Maturity is important. I learned more about myself and set a higher standard for myself. As a player, it becomes more complete. ”
Challenging Chelsea again - this was one of the main reasons Lukaku decided to leave Inter.
The Belgian striker is eager to prove himself at the club, the first club to give him a chance outside of Belgium.
The Blues' current level is at an all-time high, and with Lukaku's strength in the striker position they struggled with the most last season, it will be more than just coverage.
Lukaku said: "I am delighted and lucky to be back at this wonderful club, it has been a long journey for me. I came here as a kid who needed to learn a lot, and now I'm back with a lot of experience and a more mature way. My relationship with this club means a lot to me. It's an amazing feeling that I supported Chelsea when I was a kid and now coming back and trying to help them win more titles. ”
Club director Marina Granovskaya apparently believes that with him in the squad, the European champions will be stronger than ever.
She said: "We are very excited to bring him back to the club he loves and are delighted to be able to add his talent to our Champions League champions team.
"We want to build on the success of last season and he will play an important role in achieving our goals."
Lukaku: "The dream is now a reality, so I have to improve on the pitch now. I'm here, it's time to get to work and let my performance speak for itself. ”
What do you think prompted Lukaku to return to Chelsea?
Looking forward to your comments and attention!